Al-Nur celebrates Ramadan in style
Breaking their fast with dates and cold water, Muslim students and community members gathered to celebrate the holy month of Ramadan Tuesday night. The annual Ramadan dinner was hosted by campus Muslim student association Al-Nur, and offered a time to reflect on the holiday’s traditions over a catered dinner in Collis Commonground.
Muslim life advisor Dawood Yasin introduced the evening’s program and performed the call to prayer at 8:20 p.m., marking the end of the 15-hour fast that had begun at sunrise. After the prayer, director of religious and spiritual life Nancy Vogele addressed the room.
“While folks were praying, we were talking about how we don’t take the opportunity enough to engage with those who are different from us,” Vogele said. “But when we do, what a blessing it is.”
During a subsequent panel, attendees finished a dinner of maple balsamic-dressed salad, risotto-topped mushrooms, vegetarian lasagna and an assortment of homemade dishes, while three speakers shared their personal experience with Ramadan — ranging from lighthearted anecdotes to reflections on spirituality.
Saaid Arshad ’14 discussed celebrating Ramadan while growing up in Saudi Arabia, where he said he first learned of the holiday when his peers glared at him for drinking a sip of water, which is forbidden during the fast. By eighth grade, Arshad joined his classmates in observing the holy month.
Calling Ramadan a “party month,” Arshad said his family and others often took turns hosting dinners to break the fast. When he moved to Massachusetts, Arshad said this communal experience was lost, though he has continued to fast.
“It’s a challenge, it’s fun, it helps you grow, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said.
Jibran Khokhar, a postdoctoral fellow in Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center’s psychiatry department, said his fondest memories of Ramadan involved spending time with his family. While living in Kuwait and Toronto, he said he enjoyed celebrating the holiday as part of a large Muslim community.
After moving to the United States, he said that the holiday became more of an individual experience. He said he now uses it as an opportunity to educate others about his faith. Khokhar added that Ramadan has a social justice message, with an emphasis on charity and gratitude for the food received at sunset.
“You think of the plight of people who don’t have food on a regular basis,” Khokhar said.
Ladan Davallow, a DHMC resident, also highlighted the difference between Ramadan in the United States and in Muslim countries, and discussed the spirituality that accompanies the holiday.
Audience members then asked questions about Ramadan and Islam in general, including one about whether panelists had ever experienced discrimination because of their faith. Khokhar responded by saying he found the Upper Valley welcoming, adding that a stranger had recently wished him a “happy Ramadan” at Price Chopper in West Lebanon.
Al-Nur members said the event’s goal was to increase awareness of Ramadan and to build connections between people of different faiths.
“Ramadan’s our biggest thing, so we like to share that with campus,” said group member Rifat Zaman, a second-year student at Geisel School of Medicine.
Nick Parillo ’15 said he enjoyed the opportunity to gain exposure to another faith’s traditions and found the social justice aspect intriguing.